An act of desperation
by gov the scoffer
Summary: During a battle with the empire, Luke is shot down onto an uncharted planet. Wounded, lost, and alone, there is only one person who can help him now... and that person is Darth Vador.
1. Chapter 1

Luke pulled up on the controls of his ship, zipping away from the incoming star destroyers, flashes of light played across his face as he flew, eyes closed, his mouth in a hard line as he focused on the quiet whisperings from the force. Almost faster than thought Luke ducked and wove through the hundreds of TIE fighters trying to pin him down. Their weapons functioned too slow to hit their mark, before they even managed to fire he was gone, they couldn't touch him, and with perfect calm Luke anticipated every move they made. He fired back on them, red and white fire exploded in the black of space in his wake, flares of emotions shot out through the force and then were gone as the pilots died. Luke felt their pain and inwardly cursed at the loss of their lives, but he had to do it, he had to kill them, before more of his friends died, before Lea... No, he couldn't think of that now, he couldn't let himself be distracted... Behind him the battle raged on, rebels against the empire, his friends against the emperor... And against his father...

His father...

A dark presence, brooding, considering, curious, eager, overwhelming, possessive. Luke opened his eyes, he was aware of Darth Vader coming up from behind him, gaining on him. The distinct black ship followed in Luke's path, neither ship could gain the upper hand over the other, it was an even match, father and son, the two best pilots in the galaxy.

Luke reached out towards his father's presence and smiled mirthlessly. He flexed his robotic hand and put on an extra burst of speed.

"Let's see if you can catch me this time..." He muttered, heading towards the next wave of TIE fighters. The fleet split in half, the majority coming down towards his ship, the other half worked to push back the rebel alliance and force them to retreat.

Luke felt a flicker of panic in his chest. There were so many, all coming for him, quelling his feelings he took a breath and concentrated on the force and what it was telling him. He frowned, something was wrong. For the first time during the fight Luke felt fear take hold of him. He was aware of this same fear coming from his father's ship. Yes, something was very, very wrong. He didn't have time to react, he didn't have time to change his course or fire back, all he knew was that one moment he was staring into the wall of TIE fighters coming towards him and the next, fire was filling the cock pit and searing pain assailed him- he cried out as something pierced his chest and shoulder, as flames burned his skin and his own blood filled his mouth, in the shock and horror of the crash he felt another presence- instinctively he called out to it for help- It was the last thing he did before everything went dark-

 _Father!_

Vader watched in horror as Luke's ship spiraled down towards the planet's surface. He had felt the tremor in the force, the forewarning of what was about to happen, he gasped at the torrent of emotions that Luke was projecting, pain, fear, desperation, sadness, shock, betrayal, and then one word reaching out to him across the span of time and space.

FATHER!

Pleading, imploring, desperate, Luke didn't even realize that in the moment before the crash he had called out for help, from him, from his father, from Darth Vader.


	2. Chapter 2

Pain... He could hardly breath... He tasted blood in his mouth...

Luke opened his eyes, but found he could not see, with some small amount of shock he realized he was blind, whether it was temporary or not was anyone's guess, at this point he didn't think it really mattered...

There was something long, sharp and metal sticking out of his chest and lower shoulder, from the unyielding position of it he knew it had stabbed all the way through his body and into the pilot's seat behind him. His clothes were soaked with what he could only suppose was his own blood, he shivered from the cold and from pain, and a groan involuntarily came out through his gritted teeth. His mind was a fog, it almost didn't matter what had happened during the battle, what could possibly be more important than this black world he was trapped in? He couldn't move without further harming himself, he couldn't get down or treat his wounds, he was blind, hurt, confused and weak, easy pickings for any hungry creature that might happen across him. Luke slowly reached out with his feelings, exploring his surroundings and finding that he was suspended a few hundred feet above the ground in a massive tree. R2D2 was dead, his lights and circuitry shut off in response to overheating from the fire. That little droid had been his only hope of getting rescued, but now that was gone, Lea was gone judging by his inability to reach her through the force, she was too far away to feel him. But she was still alive, of that much he was certain. Her distinct force signature was still there, winking at him like a distant star.

Luke sighed and let himself hang limply from the restraints holding him up onto the pilot's seat. He was going to die here, and he could do little or nothing to stop that...

 _Luke?_

Luke's head shot up, a chill of fear ran down his neck and he again felt a jolt of panic. No, no not here, not now.

 _Luke? Hear me son, where are you?_

Luke focused all his efforts on hiding himself from Vader, he closed his blind eyes and meditated, shutting himself and his emotions down into a dark corner of his mind in order to mask his presence. What he hadn't counted on however was the sudden stabbing pain that shot through him at that exact moment and the momentary panic at not being able to breath assailing him. He wasn't even aware of calling for his father in this swirl of emotion, but apparently he had...

 _Hold on my son, I am coming, just calm down and take a deep breath,_

Luke tried to follow the instructions from his father and from his own struggling body but he succeeded in doing very little... It just hurt too much to take a breath...

 _Luke, listen to me, you must breath, I know it hurts but you must breath!_

 _I can't,,,_

 _Yes you can son, open your mouth and breath in slowly,_

Luke concentrated all his will power into filling his lungs with the much needed air, he squeezed his eyes shut against the pain and tried not to choke on his own blood. He was aware of his father's presence growing more and more powerful as he drew near. Desperation, fear, exhaustion. Luke reached out to push his father away.

 _Please... Please just leave me here and let me die..._

 _No._

 _Father, just let me be, this is the will of the force, I felt it before during the battle, this is meant to happen._

 _..._

 _You felt it too didn't you..._

 _...Yes... But that changes nothing... I am coming my son and I will not let you die, no matter what the force has pre-ordained._

 _Father..._

 _Conserve your energy Luke, I am almost there..._

Luke sighed tiredly and winced at the pain, he felt more blood run down onto his body as he tried to move a little to take the strain off his shoulder.

 _Just answer me one thing father..._

 _And what would that be young one?_

 _Are you doing this for me or for the emperor?_

 _For you my son._

Vader felt his son's surprise as well as his curiosity flowing down the link that existed between them. He could also feel Luke's physical sensations, the cold, the pain, the blood, the twisted metal in his shoulder. All these things worked to guide him in the right direction. He quickened his pace and continued through the forest, his lightsaber clearing the way through the brush and undergrowth.

 _What are you planning to do once you find me?_

There was fear and suspicion in Luke's thoughts, as well as a dim hope that he was being rescued not for the power he possessed, but for the person he was. Vader felt a brief flash of guilt which he quickly crushed before it could reach his son.

Therefore it came as a surprise when he felt Luke's disappointment and sadness when his son replied.

 _I thought so... Anakin Skywalker really is gone isn't he... Obi-wan was right, my father is dead..._

Vader swallowed his bitterness and hurt at this statement, masking it with a cloak of anger and darkness.

 _Your father is alive and well Luke, and he is coming to rescue you even when all of your so called friends have gone..._

 _Because you need my power..._

 _Because I need you my son..._

 _Not in the way a father should need his son though, even if I do manage to live through this Vader you will be forced to kill me anyway when I refuse to turn to the dark side..._

watch?v=qzVp_NoQn5k&t=909s

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	3. Chapter 3

Vader felt the stab of agony that jolted through Luke as the ship touched the ground. Dreading what he would see, the Sith Lord hurried towards the downed rebel and reaching up his hand, tore away the metal blocking his son from his view.

What he saw then sent a weakness, and a shaking throughout his whole body. He choked on some emotion he was not at all used to feeling and, in that moment, all of his mental shields were broken. He was unable to move or to speak as he stood there. What he saw lying pitifully in the cockpit was the burned and bloody form of his only son, Luke Skywalker.

"Luke!"

The name was distorted and harsh when it came through his helmet, and he noticed that the young man flinched when he heard it.

Vader couldn't bring himself to speak again as he reached out to touch his son, so he spoke through their link instead.

 _Luke, look at me..._

 _I can't father, I am not sure what happened, but I can't see anything..._

 _Don't worry child, I will get you out of here..._

Vader placed a shaking hand on Luke's forehead. Through electric sensors he could feel that the boy's skin was cold. His right arm and side were badly burned and covered in blood from the twisted piece of metal stabbed through his chest and shoulder. Vader swallowed and tried to hide his building panic from the young Jedi, but he didn't do it fast enough. Luke felt him.

"Father... "

"Don't speak..."

"Father, please..."

"I am going to get you out of here Luke."

His son smiled at that, but it quickly turned into a grimace instead.

" For the emperor... Not for me..."

Vader felt Luke's energy and light dim, the blue glow that was the force swirled around the boy's body, he had seen this light before, during the clone wars when Jedi were dying...

This thought affected him far more than he would care to admit.

Luke was speaking, not with his voice but with his confused and agonized mind. His thoughts were easy to hear for the dark lord. His emotions spinning out into the void for anyone to see that could.

Sadness. Loss. Pain. Longing. Regret. Fear.

Love?

Vader paused at this, for the love Luke felt was not directed to his friends in the alliance, or to Lea, or even to Obi-Wan. No, this feeling was about someone else. Someone closer...

Suddenly Vader realized who this love was for.

It was for Anakin Skywalker. It was for him.

Darth Vader was speechless. Stunned. Shocked.

His son loved him. His son who had known nothing but rage and fear and pain from him somehow, with this pure, innocent, childlike love, cared about him. The strength of the emotions were overwhelming. He had never felt anything like it. Never. Not even his love for Padme was as fierce and true as this.

His son loved him.

His son was dying.

And it was all his fault.

 _I always wanted a father._

Vader looked down at Luke's face. His blind eyes had a far away look in them.

 _I used to imagine what he would be like... But I guess I was wrong... All the things I imagined were wrong... You are nothing like the father I imagined..._

Resolve. Pain. Disappointment.

 _I don't care if you love me or not anymore..._

Vader looked down and saw the boys hand reaching for him... He took it and held it in his own...

 _As long as you are here with me when it happens... I don't care..._


	4. Chapter 4

_No!_

The words screamed through his weary mind and jolted him back to the world of the living. Luke came to himself and hissed as he moved his shoulder. His hand was being crushed in a death grip, it hurt almost as much as the metal sticking out of him.

"No son of mine is going to give up that easily! You are going to live through this Luke do you hear me!?"

Vader's mask was barely an inch away from his face, Luke sighed and shook his head.

" Whatever you say dad..."

The words were quiet but Vader heard them. With a grunt of satisfaction the Sith lord brought out his light saber and slowly began cutting through the jagged pieces of the ship that had pierced Luke's body. The boy blinked unseeing at the progress his father was making. He didn't have the energy or the will to protest. Let Vader do what he wanted. It wouldn't make any difference... The force swirled around him, comforting, even in its betrayal of him. Briefly Luke wondered what the point was for him to have gone back to complete his training with Yoda for nearly three years if he was just going to die here meaninglessly. Was it just so that he could be there with Yoda when the old Jedi master passed? Was his usefulness to the universe and the alliance over after he destroyed the death star? Luke winced as the metal in is chest grew hot from his father's lightsaber. It was done. He was freed from the ship, nothing left to hold him up, the metal sliced clean through a few inches from his skin. With nothing to support his weight Luke slumped over sideways out of the cockpit. He would have fallen had strong artificial arms not caught him.

Vader cradled his son's body and lifted him as one would a child. He was small in build, like his mother, like Padme. Luke moaned and went limp as his consciousness fell away. The Sith lord did not try to wake him, he knew it was not death, only a brief respite from the pain, it had just been too much for the young Jedi to bear. The force for now retreated into the forest around them, content to wait to claim the boys life. Vader growled in his throat. Darkness gathered around him like storm clouds. Neither man nor fate could take his son from him. He would not allow it. He who had mastered the darkness. He would not allow this fragile light to be extinguished. Not now, not ever. Resolve hardened in the man as he strode off towards his ship.

As he walked he regarded the youth he held. Luke's pale face was drawn and grim even in sleep. His hair had grown darker. It was almost the exact shade his had been before... Before the darkness.

Even now there was a light to be seen in his son. It shown as brightly as any light saber. It was the translucent light of a dying Jedi.


	5. Chapter 5

_"Something wonderful has happened... Annie, I'm pregnant!"_

There had been joy in those words, they had both felt joy at this news of new life... Those few weeks before the nightmares had started had been the happiest time he had ever known. The time when he could just be himself, alone with Padme, making plans for their future together, he would leave the Jedi order, she would leave the senate, together they would start their lives afresh on her home world. They would raise their children, learn about each other, create a family.

But that was before, before the darkness, before Padme... After her death there had been nothing left for him to live for but hatred and power and revenge. He would make the galaxy pay for his loss and his pain... Make them pay for what they had made him do... For all the Jedi wisdom and power, they hadn't been able to stop one death... One woman's death... What good was any of it if it couldn't even save Padme from dying? He caused her death, by his hand she died, the emperor had told him so... Why had he hurt her? Why?

It was because of them... Because of Obi Wan... They made him do it... They made him into a monster...

But that was the past, it couldn't be changed, there was no use dwelling on it...

He had to focus on the here and now, he had to focus on his son, on Luke...

He was the most powerful man in the galaxy... More powerful than he had ever been... He wouldn't let It happen this time... He would save the life this time... He would save Luke from dying...

"I won't fail you son..."

"I know..."

Startled Darth Vader looked down at the blue eyes staring back at him... They were dim and filled with pain, but they were alert...

"Can you see me child?"

Luke smiled a little at the word 'child' and closed his eyes again...

"A little..."

Slowly, as a doctor would examine a patient, Vader reached out to touch his son's mind.

Everything was open and laid bare, the formidable shields that had before closed off Luke's mind from the rest of the world were gone, whether this was by conscious choice or because the young rebel was too weak to maintain them was anyone's guess. What Vader saw and felt was unlike anything he had ever experienced.

A grey ocean, stretching out forever on the horizon, dark storm clouds hanging over white cliffs. Wind tearing through the tall sea grass, gulls, crying, diving, the salt and dampness that came from the waves covered everything. It was cool. Rain was coming. He took a step forward and realized he could feel sand under his feet. Looking down Vader gasped at the sight of his own body, he was whole again, he was flesh and skin and bone, there was no metal, no pain, raising his hands to his face he felt the smoothness and flawlessness of youth. He was Anakin Skywalker again.

There was another sound apart from the gulls and crashing waves, a child's voice, Anakin turned towards it. There on the cliff, at the very edge stood a young boy, around fifteen, he was saying something, the words were lost in the wind but the voice carried a great sadness and pain. Anakin started towards the boy but the closer he got the farther he seemed to be. Suddenly there was lightning, flashing over the ocean, a whip of cold, the tide was coming in, coming towards them. Luke was the boy and the boy was Luke, but the boy was also Anakin Skywalker, a clean and untouched version of him. Here was a perfect child, pure, innocent, good. This was Luke as he truly was.

The boy turned to face him, as he did so his heels hung out over the edge of the cliff. One wrong move and he would fall.

Anakin felt panic in his chest and reached out a hand towards the child.

"Come away from there! Its not safe!"

Rain started to fall. It covered them both, stinging their eyes as the wind grew stronger with the coming storm.

"You don't love me!"

The accusation hit him and made him fall back to the ground. Anakin turned and struggled to sit up but the wind and the rain were picking up speed, how could the boy withstand this assault and not fall into the sea? Desperately he pulled himself upright and raised a hand to shield his eyes.

Luke's hair whipped around his face, pain and great sadness was there. He looked lost.

"I am a sith, I can't love anyone!"

"What about my mother? What about Padme? Did you love her? Did you!?"

Tears filled Anakin's eyes and he shut them against the truth.

"Yes, I loved her, I loved her more than anything, but I killed her, I killed her with my own hands, if I had just been powerful enough in the darkside, if I had stopped loving her and given myself to it fully, I could have saved her, but I was too weak. I loved her and by doing that I killed her. I won't let that happen to you. I won't let you die."

Luke shook his head and lightning struck the sea, mirroring his feelings, his pain. His next words were a scream.

"I saw what you did! I saw it father! You hurt her but she didn't die from that! She died because you turned! Because you betrayed her! She didn't have the strength to live after you did that! The darkside killed her father, but there is still good in you! I can feel it! You are not a sith! You are Anakin Skywalker! The only way you can save me is through the light, but the only way you can is to love me as your son, I know you feel it too. You know the truth."

Anakin was suddenly on his feet, anger roared in his veins, anger and hate, for the truth, for the possibility that his choices were wrong, that his whole life was wrong, that he had destroyed everything he loved for nothing at all. Blinded by fury, blinded by pain and regret and bitterness, Anakin rushed at the figure balancing precariously on the edge of the cliff, this forlorn figure that represented everything he was not, everything good and solid and light, this person speaking the truth, in one instant he was Darth Vader, and in that one instant, he pushed his own son into the sea...


	6. Chapter 6

They were in a forest, not on a cliff, he was half machine, not completely human. He was Darth Vader, not Anakin Skywalker, and the boy in his arms was his son, but he wasn't breathing.

"LUKE!"

The sith lord shook the rebel pilot, trying to jostle him back to wakefulness, desperately he filled collapsed lungs with air, pushed blood through still viens, forced a dying heart to beat, slowly, surely, he brought life back.

The light that was the force reached to snatch it away.

"NO! HE IS MINE!"

Vader beat away the light side with powerful darkness, for possibly the last time he won the battle for the life of his son. Luke moved a little in his arms and choked on the pain. The sound that came with each breath he took hurt Vader, an inarticulate, animal sound, it spoke of agony and hopelessness, of unspeakable sadness and loss, of regret and fear. Eyes rolled up in his head, Luke convulsed weakly, and despite the healing trance Vader tried to cover him with, he still managed to slip further and further towards death...

Vader had never felt such panic, such frantic need. He was practically running to reach his ship. Blood splattered on ferns and leaves as he raced past, his blood, the blood of his only son, lost to him like so much else in his life, Vader choked on dry sobs as the ships hatch opened and he placed his child into the cockpit.


End file.
